this is why i hate back yard breeders.
my poor lad is only just 3 years old & once again he has been at the vets & xrayed.
unfortunatley this week he has been lame on his 1 good leg! (elbow dysplaisa on front two & right hind cruciate repaired by TPLO, osteo arthritis in all legs.) tried a change of painkillers & anti-inflammatories hoping he was just struggling cuz of the wet weather.(he has constantly been on medication since he was 6months)
they didnt work so he was admitted for xrays on wednesday, my worst fear was hip dysplasia as he walks like a dysplastic dog.
fortunately this was not the case- although his hips are 'sloppy' (vets words! ) there is no degenerative changes, there i nothing sinister in his left hind either (althoughhe might have a partial cruciate tear, you cannot tell or do anything until he has a complete rupture) it is just that his elbows are getting worse & he is using that one good leg to overcompensate & now it is hurting.
he is on more painkillers (which touch wood seem to be helping ) & we are trying to build up the muscle over his back end as he has muscle wastage, so am drying meat out for the extra protein & have booked a physio therapist who will be coming next week.
but it makes me soooooooooo mad, he is the nicest little boy, but has had serious health problems since he was 6 months, just because some horrible person wanted to make some money.
he was luckily taken by the RSPCA (along with his littermates- those that survived - & his parents)
& i was lucky enough to find my beautiful boy, rather than be sold on to someone like the people that had his parents (cant call them breeders cuz they werent).
so please if you want a breed & cant find what you want from breed rescue or want to get a pedigree pup, please do your research & be prepared to pay more to get a good dog, from good breeders. otherwise you will pay more down the line (Callum has cost me an absolute fortune & will continue to do so) & your dog will suffer as will others that they will breed after selling your pup.
i hope this is read by someone who is on here to find out about getting a puppy .

I have permission to crosspost this, I have know the owner of this dog for several years and watched his progress.   They will be at this year's Cruft.


Yesterday, my darling Barty made me the proudest woman in the world by
being selected for KC Good Citizen Scheme Gold Demonstration Team at
Crufts this year. For those that don't know Barty, he was rescued at
5 months from a pts situation because he has absolutely no hip sockets
whatsoever. He also has a malformed spine which he had surgery on two
years ago and now is physically very fit. Barty is a red merle
lurcher and I have put a photo of him in the group files for you to
see how gorgeous he is (and he knows it).

49 dogs showed up for the selection which went on for 4 and half hours
- I was exhausted. If anyone is going to Crufts this year (and did I
mention I am going with Barty !!!!!!!!!!) we will be there on Thursday
and Saturday.

Barty has made this progress thanks to a homeopathic remedy from www.caninecaregroup.net  you will need to contact the owner, but if you pm me, I can give you her email address because she is a friend and has helped me a lot over the years.

A  friend's father has put his Rottie in pink, she has a decorated pink collar, harness and lead.  I know others who have put their Bull Terriers and Staffies in pink people are not as frightened of them when they have their pink collars, leads, harnesses and coats on.